Protector
by IceDragonKaniedie
Summary: This story is about an UlquiHime relationship. Though, how can a romantic relationship happen between a Human and an Arrancar? Or more so, an unemotional boy and a completely confused teenage girl?
1. Memories

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Bleach original Characters; they are all thanks to Kubo for my being able to write about them. Enjoy!

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><p><em>Ashes, ashes... A grey cloud swirling in the fading wind, slowing dissolving into the nothingness he had so claimed... Green eyes flickered into oblivion as his reaching hand burst into ash... In his final moments he had done something she had thought impossible. Ulquiorra had shown emotion.<em>

Orihime cried out as she bolted upright, still half caught in her nightmare as she fell out of her bed. Slowly her vision cleared as she blinked the sleep and tears out of her eyes. It haunted her. Her mind refused to let her forget. But why? Usually when they defeated an enemy she would feel relieved, even happy. They couldn't come after her or her friends anymore. Even if it was only until someone else came after them, someone faster, stronger, crueler... But it still gave them a bit of peace. So why couldn't she forget that moment on the dome of Los Noches? Forget _him?_ Orihime didn't feel anything for him, she could still picture Ichigo's deathly pale face after the Cuatro Espada had stabbed that awful hole in his chest... So why couldn't she forget his fear-stricken face? He was a Hollow... A monster. Sure, she had reached out towards him as he was dying, but that was only because she pitied him, he had protected her- duty or not- even with his claims of not having a heart. That was it. It was nothing more than her kindhearted nature... Wasn't it?

Darkness... Silence... Emptiness...

_A realm without thought or feeling, blank as the soul kept within it. Shattered memories and thoughts flowed within the broken remains, carefully weaving together again as its strength grew. The emptiness within the being once more filling with darkness, a cold wave spreading over its awakening senses..._

_'...Cold?'_ His eyes fluttered open, a numb ache spreading through his body as it was once more illuminated by the crescent Moon of Hueco Mundo. For a moment, he just stared at the sky blankly, unable to register enough to feel shock or confusion. He couldn't remember who he was- why was he even here? What was his purpose? Carefully moving into a sitting position, he watched as the wind kicked up a flurry of sand, its appearance grayed by the stark moonlight. It kind of reminded him of ash dancing with the current of the wind; he faintly remembered seeing something similar to it before... A flare of pain made him grasp at his chest, only to find an empty hole where he would have expected more pale skin to be, beside it a black mark showing the number '4'. Though his expression remained blank, it hid the internal shock as his fractured memories became clearer; he was Ulquiorra Cifer, Cuatro Espada, andhe was still alive_._

Orihime took a moment to look over her apartment after having not been able to do so while she was imprisoned in Los Noches- it was kind of pathetic really, everything in her home had just sat there while she was stuck having to worry about food getting shoved down her throat because of her own weakness... Well, that wasn't really fair to anyone. There wasn't anything that would've prevented it had her friends tried to help, and they _had_ been facing a group that even Soul Society had trouble facing before the invasion. Besides, she had been treated pretty well considering the circumstances, only ever being truly harmed by Loly and Menoly's abuse during her captivity. In the end, everything had turned out ok. Everyone was fine, she was back in the World of The Living, Aizen's plans had been halted and his army destroyed. Life had returned to normal. Hadn't it?

Sighing, she walked outside and locked the door. Shutting away anymore thoughts of the past as she turned to smile up at the shining Sun, worries brushed away by its gentle warmth. Now with a bounce in her step, she headed towards Tsubakidai Park to meet Tatsuki before they headed off for a day of fun at a recently opened carnival. A gentle breeze blew through the growing tree line as she neared the meeting spot, though with a quick glance around her she could tell she was a bit early as her friend was nowhere in sight. Shrugging, she decided to just sit on the grass and wait, relaxing despite the slight chill. In front of her a patch of wild flowers swayed back and forth with the shadows of nearby trees, the shapes changing into similar things as she watched them, misshapen creatures swishing with their own steady beat. One on her right side reminded her of a person, its eyes gleaming quietly from where it lay with the other patches of darkness... Wait, _eyes?_ Getting up to take a better look she felt a sudden hand on her shoulder. Surprised, she whirled around, ready to summon her fairies if need- then she noticed a familiar face "Tatsuki!" her best friend gave her a concerned look before meeting Orihime's bright smile, removing her friend's hand with a gentle pat to hide the fact that she was shaking slightly with the unexpected appearance "Hey, sorry to take so long. Had to help clean up in the dojo before I could leave... You alright?" waving her hands in front of her she nervously took a few steps back to leave some more space, secretly giving the shadow a backwards glance only to find that there wasn't anything there except for the gently swaying flowers and trees. Turning, she returned to her normal cheerful self- worries washed away once more "I'm fine, really! I was just spacing out, with how calming it is here and all" saying that, they moved back to the road leading out of the park. With no more eyes and now convinced that it was only her imagination, she smiled and they continued on their wayto the carnival.

"Hey! Let's go on the Ferris wheel!" Orihime had been watching the giant moving wheel with awe ever since they had gotten inside the fairgrounds hours earlier, meanwhile Tatsuki had decided to get some cotton candy for them while they wandered in and out of the various amusements- before being inevitably dragged towards the brightly lit structure. In her haste they nearly knocked over a couple as they were passing by, murmuring their apologies, they continued on. Finally getting past a crowd gathered around a juggler, they managed to get a closed cart on the wheel, as it slowly started moving Orihime finally relaxed, Tatsuki taking the chance to ask the question that had been bugging her since she found her friend staring anxiously at the scenery in the park, her concern showing openly on her face "Orihime, what's the deal? You've been acting strange ever since this morning, jumping at shadows, always glancing behind you while we were walking here. It like your being chased by something, is someone stalking you?" Orihime didn't answer for a moment, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her sweater as she looked out the window nervously, all her former cheer melting away once they were alone. Slowly, she began to recount what had happened last night. Tatsuki's confusion only deepened as she mentioned her dream, her shoulders shaking slightly as she mentioned something about someone bursting into ash "... A-and then when I was waiting for you in the park... I felt as if someone was watching me... I had just brushed it off at first, but it_ keeps happening_- I think I see something out of the corner of my eye and when I turn around nothing's there..." Orihime said quietly, concluding all that happened. Her coppery hair glowed in the setting sunlight, making her look like a fire that had began to flicker uncertainly. Reaching over, Tatsuki grabbed her shoulder reassuringly, putting enough confidence in her words to hide her growing anger at whatever creep was making her best friend suffer "Come on, I'm sure it's just some paranoia caused from that freaky nightmare. Want to stay at my place tonight just in case there really is someone?" she asked with a sympathetic smile, _'... and if anyone really is there I promise to beat them 'till there black and blue...'_ silently adding her promise as the ride stopped. With a happy nod in reply, they headed towards the exit gate to head home.

...Behind them a shadow swiftly moved from one place to another, unnoticed by the passing Humans as it focused on the distant figures of two girls, its eyes glowing faintly before it disappeared...

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>-

**Posted: **1-1-12


	2. Nightmare

Finally back to writing this again. Sorry for the wait! ^^

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Bleach original Characters; they are all thanks to Kubo for my being able to write about them. Enjoy!

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><p>"Hey, you hungry Orihime?" Tatsuki asked, her voice radiating from the kitchen. It had gotten pretty dark since they came back to Tatsuki's place, only a faint trace of color showing in what was visible of the sky, the streetlamps already flickering to life. Although it was still pretty close to the end of Summer, the days had begun to get colder and shorter. Orihime sat on the floor staring out the window, her fear of being watched slowly ebbing away with every minute that passed. Turning away from the quiet street, she stood and went to help figure out something for them to eat "Do you have any eggs? I've been wanting to try out this new recipe lately" she replied, peering curiously over the other girl's shoulder. "Umm, I think I'll pass this time.. How about we make some instant noodles? It'll take only a few minutes" Tatsuki suggested, knowing just how weird her friend's taste's could be. After a few more minutes of debating different potential meals, they finally settled for the ramen.<p>

Orihime sat tapping her fingers on the table, a cup of half-eaten noodles in front of her. Across from her Tatsuki set down her own food, her expression curious "You alright?" she asked. Surprised, Orihime looked up and realized she had stopped eating "Oh, yeah..." she mumbled uncertainly. _Was _she alright? Sure she hadn't been getting much sleep, but... "Orihime, are you still worried that someone's stalking you? We could always put a restraining order on them if you start to see them getting too close" Tatsuki suggested, but she only shook her head. She didn't know if there even _was _someone following her around, let alone if they meant any harm to her. _Let alone if they were even Human_ "I'll be fine. Besides," she replied with a small smile "I have everyone to help me out if I get into any serious trouble." Tatsuki smiled at that and dropped the subject, saving her worry for later. Feeling better at the thought Orihime continued eating, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere that Tatsuki's seemed to bring.

It wasn't long before they were both asleep. It had gotten late and even Orihime had admitted she was tired. She lay sleeping on the couch, curled up in a cocoon of blankets. The sky outside grew ever darker, a thin slice of the moon illuminating little below it. Everything was dark, quiet. The wind rattled the windows gently, the lock on the door giving a soft click as it was slowly pushed open. A thin shadow stretched across the floor, growing longer as it reached out towards where she slept, its fingers pointed like claws. Invisible hands wrapped around her throat, slowly cutting off her air supply as they held her down. Orihime's eye's shot open, her arms and legs thrashing as she fought to breathe. She tried to scream, but the force on her neck only grew stronger, her hands lashing out uselessly at anything she could reach. Her head was starting to spin, her body getting weaker as her mind slowly slipped into total darkness...

"_Orihime!_"

... Someone was calling her name... No, they were practically shouting it at her.. Oh, she had _such_ a headache. Why couldn't they just be quiet? She tried to raise her hands to cover her ears but only managed to brush them against her neck- wait. Her neck? _The hands!_

Bursting upright Orihime almost smacked right into Tatsuki, her arms flailing tiredly as she frantically looked around. The door was still shut, the lock untouched. After a moment she noticed Tatsuki's hands were gripping her shoulders, as if she had been trying to shake her awake "Orihime, what happened? You were screaming like crazy a few minutes ago" she asked worriedly, pulling her hands away. Without a word Orihime threw herself at her friend, hugging her as tightly as she could as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Orihime..? Whoa, what happened to your_ neck!?_" she exclaimed suddenly. Confused, she rested a palm on her throat, wincing at the following jolt of pain. Adding curiosity to her already growing list of emotions, she headed for the bathroom mirror, pulling her hair back as she went.

It had been a nightmare. A bad dream. Just a dream.

But what she saw reflected back at her challenged such thoughts. She blinked. _Impossible_. A giant bruise wrapped around her neck, like two hands with nails that had been dug into her skin.

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><p><strong>Note<strong>: I keep thinking of Ulquiorra as having "_Somewhere I Belong_" by Linkin Park for a theme-song. . . Anyways, please leave a review! I appreciate the feedback~!

**Posted**: 8-26-12


	3. Questions

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Bleach original Characters; they are all thanks to Kubo for my being able to write about them. Enjoy!

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><p><em>What should I do now?<em>

Ulquiorra's body and clothes had both been shredded beyond repair after that fight atop the dome of Los Noches, unfortunately leaving him in the torn remains that, unlike his physical health, couldn't be improved without being completely replaced._ Useless._ Managing to stand despite his stiff muscles Ulquiorra noticed that his sword lay on the ground beside him, both blade and sheath appearing untouched. _Had it regenerated as well? _Picking up his weapon once more, he walked forward to see where he was. His questions could wait until later.

_Why am I still here?_

There had been few choices in where to go, and it wasn't like he could just walk about Hueco Mundo half naked. If even half. However, it took a while for Ulquiorra to figure out how to use a garganta again in order to get there, his hand refusing to stop shaking every time he summoned even a small amount of reiatsu. Finally, after countless failed attempts, he managed to create a small and somewhat stable opening. The effort leaving his body trembling. _Seems my body isn't as recovered as I thought. It would probably be best to avoid fighting for now.. _he thought, watching his hands shake occasionally as he navigated the dark path of the garganta. Soon he'd be back in Los Noches, and, if all went as planned, some clothes.

_What is left for me?_

It was unusually quiet, even for here. The halls had no traces of use for some time, no voices echoed from the nearby buildings or rooms he passed by. As he made his way through the maze of corridors he passed by a certain room that gave him pause. _That woman again. _

_What happened to her?_

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>Shorter chapter on this one! I might keep making them this way for Ulquiorra.. Tell me what you think if you post a review! ;)

**Posted:** 8-26-12


	4. Boogie Man

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Bleach original Characters; they are all thanks to Kubo for my being able to write about them. Enjoy!

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><p><em>Impossible.<em>

Orihime lay wide awake, unable to sleep after what had happened. Even with Tatsuki sleeping next to her, even with the doors and windows firmly shut and locked, even with everything that was _supposed_ to be able to protect her, sleep stubbornly eluded her. She trembled beneath the blankets, unable to close her eyes for fear that those tight, choking hands would return. What would she do if they did? She'd tried fighting the mysterious attacker, but for all her kicking and flailing she only managed to tire herself out. Would she be able to use the Shun Shun Rika if she couldn't speak?

Rolling over she turned away from where she was facing the door, burrowing deeper into her little cocoon of warmth. Orihime couldn't stop shaking, but it was from more than just the cold. Could it really be just a bad dream? Did by some odd chance her hands actually wrap around her own throat while she was caught in that nightmare? _No, I wouldn't do that to myself... Would I? _Her thoughts continuously plagued her, imagination making every little rattle and bump out to be someone trying to get inside.

Was that a shadow of someone in the kitchen? What was that tapping sound outside? Did she just see something out the window? _No, calm down Orihime.. No one is out there. Relax. _Curling into a ball beneath the blankets, she squeezed her eyes shut. _Its all in you head. _She repeated over and over again, her voice a ghost of a whisper. Maybe if she made herself believe it was true..

_"Orihime"_

Terror clawed icily at her spine, her eyes widening as she whipped her head around, both hands on her Shun Shun Rika. Orihime was bursting to her feet when she saw.. Nothing. There was no one there- monster, Hollow, Shinigami or otherwise. She looked out the window, nothing. She quietly checked the other rooms to find, still, nothing. Confused, she went to investigate the locks on all the windows and doors. They appeared untouched. _What's going on? _she wondered,_ am I losing my mind? Has everything I've seen until now finally caught up with me? _

Was it really all in her head?

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>Thanks for the favorites lately!

**Posted:** 8-28-12


	5. Really Bad Day

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Bleach original Characters; they are all thanks to Kubo for my being able to write about them. Enjoy!

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><p>The sunrise was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen at that moment, its first weak rays of light what she had been waiting hours for. It's easy to say Orihime had gotten little to no sleep that night. Nearly shaking with relief, she waited for Tatsuki to wake up as well, hoping that with the now cheerful sunny skies the night's horrors would simply fade away into a bad memory.<p>

Orihime was terrified of going home, of being alone. Tatsuki had offered to go with her, naturally, but she refused to give whoever or whatever was haunting her the pleasure of hurting her best friend too. Of course, she was regretting her choice some fifteen minutes later, having walked no more than half the distance home. It was eerily quiet on the street, every dark alley she passed creepier than the one before. Why was no one out here? Sure it was early in the morning, but it wasn't _that _early.

Paranoid, she kept glancing behind her, half expecting someone to appear in the distance. _What's wrong with me? One bad night and I'm jumping at things that aren't even there.._ Turning Orihime nearly ran into someone dashing out of a side-street, leaving her so surprised that she let out a small scream. Heart-racing, she mumbled an apology the stranger didn't hear and leaned against a near wall, trying to catch her breath. Ok, _that_ one she had every right to freak out about. What were they doing jumping out of nowhere like that? She could've had a _heart attack_ after these past few days!_ If this continues I'm going become a mental wreck..._ She thought with a small sigh. Couldn't she just have _one_ peaceful day?

Managing to walk again she headed down the street the scared-the-heck-out-of-her stranger had just come from, half her mind on getting home and making sure her doors were locked, the other portion wondering what could've scared someone so badly that they'd run blindly down the streets to get away. Glancing up to make she was going the right way, Orihime nearly missed it. There, lurking in the shadowy depths of an alley ahead of her perched a huge, twisted, spider-legged Hollow, and in its jaws dangled the soul of a young woman she didn't know. Threads of reiatsu snagged at her legs, the movement making the beast swivel its head around.. And directly at her.

This _so _wasn't her day.

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> Like this? Leave a review! .. I wasn't going to post another chapter today, but with all the views I've gotten lately I decided to throw another one in here! Thanks for reading my story everyone~! 3

**Posted:** 8-28-12


	6. Pain

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Bleach original Characters; they are all thanks to Kubo for my being able to write about them. Enjoy!

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><p>"<em>Santen Kesshun, I reject!<em>"

Orihime's scream pierced the air as her shield shattered right before her eyes, the twisted form of the Hollow looming over her with its spidery legs dug into the ground where her shield had been only moments before. Claws surrounded her, horrible jagged things that grasped and tore at Orihime's unprotected body without mercy. Arms began to wrap around her, slowly constricting around her neck as she desperately cried "_Koten Zanshun!_" Light burst out of the Shun Shun Rika as Tsubaki shot forward, slicing away all the wreathing limbs until he freed Orihime's body. The Hollow howled in pain with a sound so shrill that Orihime had to cover her ears, flinching away from the creature as it jerked violently to the side and fell against the wall of the alley. She didn't pity it, not exactly, but she couldn't stand hearing that awful shriek any longer, that horrible sound like shattering glass and human screaming... "Koten Zanshun!"she called, watching as Tsubaki flew forward and sliced it in half with his beam of light, silencing it. After a moment of hovering in the air, he quietly returned to his place in her hairclip.

_'Is... It over?'_ she thought numbly, slumping against the nearest wall. Orihime was shaking, staring blankly at the thing that had tried to kill her just a few seconds ago. How had it broken through her shield? It had just smashed right through her protective barrier, yet Tsubaki had killed it so easily.. A quiet sound in front of her jolted her back into reality, its source making her freeze in fear. Right before her eyes the Hollow started to move towards itself, its body piecing together as it stood. It looked as if nothing had happened to it._ 'No... That's impossible...' _Orihime thought in terror. Turning, it fixed its burning eyes on her, its mask frozen in a demonic grin. She couldn't move, couldn't speak; fear knotted in her stomach, paralyzing her despite her mind screaming for her to run. She only had time to blink before it grabbed her, lifting her up and throwing her against the ground. Sharp spikes of pain jabbed at her dulled senses as the Hollow dug its claws into her, tearing stinging lines across her skin. Crimson blossomed through her clothes as blood slowly began to trickle from her mouth, a dense cold spreading from her fingertips to her chest. Everything was so blurred now, so cold. Orihime was starting to fall unconscious when she noticed something else in front of her, the woman from before. Only, it wasn't a strange woman... It was Orihime.

...

_"Orihime.."_

_".. What could have happened to her?"_

_"Is she going to be ok?"_

Voices... All around her a jumble of voices. Who were they, and why were they talking about her? There were faint sounds all around her, barely making it through the cotton clouding up her brain. With a small groan of pain Orihime slowly sat up, her eyes squinting against the sudden brightness. Why was it so _bright_? The last thing she remembered was an alley before everything went dark... "Hey! Orihime's awake" a voice called to the others, jolting her out of her thoughts. Tatsuki quickly rushed into the room, hugging Orihime as the other 'voices' came in behind her. Uryu was standing beside her- he must have been the one that had just spoken. As her eyes adjusted she began to see the room more clearly, Ichigo, Chad, and Rukia all appearing from the formerly blurry haze. Orihime looked around at the group in confusion, wondering what they were all doing there "Huh? Where am I?" she asked. Everyone around her looked so worried, but it wasn't that that confused her. They all looked at her like... Like she had done something. Tatsuki looked like something was bothering her, worry clouding her face "Orihime... You've been out for almost a whole day. Someone found you unconscious in an alley a few hours after you had left my house" she said quietly. She hesitated before continuing, looking intensely uncomfortable "Covered in what looked like self-inflicted injuries... And a bloody piece of glass in your hand."

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>Like the story so far? Leave a review! ... Poor Orihime. I was going to do more with this chapter but I just didn't have it in me, I guess.. :/

I should probably warn you, I'm thinking about making this or something else a dark love story. Not sure how that'll go- or if I'll even actually do it- yet, but just putting it out there. If you have a comments about that or anything else feel free to leave 'em in the reviews section, I'd love to read them!

**Posted:** 11-23-12


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